The order follows the completion by BAE Systems of the engineering and installation of an ADS-B (Out) modification on two Avro RJs for other operators, which resulted in the award of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Approval Certificate 10066079.

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) enables an aircraft to determine its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcast it, enabling it to be tracked without the need for any action from the pilot or from Air Traffic Control. It also provides an enhanced set of aircraft surveillance data to Air Traffic Management.

EASA has mandated that all aircraft weighing above 5,700kg or having a maximum cruise speed greater than 250 knots will need to be ADS-B compliant by June 2020, while in the United States the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) has mandated ADS-B for January that same year.

Following the EASA approval, BAE Systems says it is now working to ensure all European operators of the BAe 146/Avro RJ as well as those operators outside Europe that fly into European airspace are equipped with the modification by the mandated date.

It is also investigating the possibility of obtaining FAA and Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) validation of the modification for operators of the aircraft in those jurisdictions.

Under its EASA Part 21G and J approvals, BAE Systems is also able to engineer and arrange the installation of ADS-B upgrades to other aircraft types and is currently evaluating solutions for other platforms.

Most of the upgrades will be carried out while aircraft are in for maintenance work, with the installation to be carried out either by the operators themselves or their designated Maintenance Repair Organisation (MRO). BAE Systems will supply the approved information, the Service Bulletin and the modification kit.